Nose
Refined and elegant, our 2010 The Leap Cabernet Sauvignon opens with an alluring aromatic bouquet of black plum compote, black cherry, black raspberry and forest floor, and a welcomed hint of cocoa powder.
Palate
The 2010 The Leap Cabernet Sauvignon captures the distinctive personality of our estate vineyard offering a multilayered mouthfeel and deep, pure flavors of blackberry, black plum, blueberry, cassis and cocoa. On the palate, a lushness of rich, dark fruit arises from the cooler vintage, and the flavors are later enhanced by intriguing dusty notes of pepper. With distinct, fine tannins, this estate Cabernet still remains pleasantly silky and complex, and exhibits the iconic power and longevity that have become synonymous with The Leap.
Growing Conditions
The 2010 growing season was long and mild with ideal temperatures for full development of great aromatic freshness and rich, soft tannins. Vintage 2010 welcomed the return of rainfall, and bud break, flowering and fruit-set were pushed back by nearly two weeks throughout Napa Valley. The relatively cool growing season coupled with the unexpected heat spikes in late summer made for a shortened harvest, but the resulting lower yields of Cabernet Sauvignon lots were concentrated and powerful with great density and color.
Winemaking
The Leap is a barrel selection, a blend of the best Cabernet Sauvignon blocks, lots and cooperages in a given vintage. Each lot was held separately in French oak barrels (50% new) for 20 months before Winemaker Christophe Paubert hand selected the most expressive of them to blend just prior to bottling. Keeping each block separate allows close monitoring of each individual lot through aging, maximizing the depth and potential of the estate vineyards.
Aging
Each lot was held separately in French oak barrels (50% new) for 20 months.
